love in the mix - a tayvis au <3

13 - the very first night

Emma could hardly believe it when her dad, Travis, finally agreed to let Liam sleep over after their date. She'd been on her best behavior for weeks—no sneaking out, no school drama, and no secret rendezvous with Liam. It had been a long road, filled with tense silences, teary arguments, and exasperated sighs from both their parents, but finally, her efforts were paying off.

The day before the date, as Emma was finishing her homework in her room, she heard a knock on the door. She looked up to see her dad leaning against the doorframe, his expression serious.

"Got a minute?" he asked, his tone softer than usual.

Emma nodded, closing her laptop. "Sure, Dad."

Travis stepped inside, sitting on the edge of her bed. "I've been thinking about this date," he began, his eyes locking with hers. "And I'm not going to lie, it's been hard for me to get to this point. Letting you go on a date is one thing, but knowing Liam is staying over when I'm not home..."

Emma felt her heart sink a little. She'd expected this. "Dad, I promise we'll behave," she said quickly, trying to reassure him. "We've both learned from the past."

Travis nodded, but his face was still serious. "I believe you, Emma. I do. But you're teenagers, and things happen. You and Liam are in love—or at least something close to it—and I get that. But I need you to promise me, really promise me, that you'll be responsible. You know what I mean, right?"

Emma's cheeks flushed. "Yes, Dad, I know," she muttered, looking down at her hands. "We talked about all this already."

"I know we have, but this is different," Travis insisted, leaning forward. "You're going to be alone at home, and I won't be around to check in. You need to set your own boundaries and make smart choices. If you feel things are getting out of control, I need you to be honest with yourself and with him."

Emma bit her lip, feeling both embarrassed and touched by his concern. "I promise, Dad. We won't do anything stupid. And if anything does happen... we'll be safe."

Travis sighed, rubbing his hands over his face before nodding. "Okay. I trust you, Emma. Just don't break that trust, alright?"

She smiled, relieved. "Thanks, Dad. I promise I won't."

Meanwhile, across town, Liam was having a very similar conversation with his mom, Taylor. She'd been supportive about him seeing Emma again, but she had her own set of reservations—especially knowing Travis wouldn't be around to keep an eye on things.

Taylor called him into the living room after dinner. Liam walked in cautiously, sensing from her tone that she was preparing for a serious talk. "What's up, Mom?"

Taylor patted the seat beside her on the couch. "Come sit. We need to talk about tomorrow night."

Liam sat down, trying to keep his expression neutral. "About the date?"

"Yes, about the date," Taylor replied, her eyes sharp yet caring. "Look, Liam, I'm glad you and Emma are finally getting some time together. But you both know what happened last time. It wasn't just about sneaking around; it's the choices you make when you're alone."

Liam could feel his face getting warm. "Mom, come on, we're not—"

Taylor held up a hand. "I'm not saying this to embarrass you. I know you're growing up, and I know you care about Emma. But I need to know that you understand what being responsible means. Travis isn't going to be around. You'll be alone with Emma all night."

Liam nodded, swallowing his nerves. "I get it. We talked about it before. We're going to take things slow."

Taylor's face softened a bit, but she didn't let up. "I'm glad to hear that. But remember, things can escalate quickly. You two need to have boundaries, even if it's hard. Promise me you'll respect each other and yourselves."